NOVEL WEB Chapter 2: Getting a job
A system? The cloak cocked where his head would be slightly in confusion. Explain
“It’s like…” How to explain this? Jack had suggested the idea in the spur of the moment, but something like a system was pretty complicated. “It’s a way for every person in the world to see how powerful they are? They can see how they match up against each other, see their skills and abilities, and it can help them grow stronger.”
The cloak pondered for a moment, Hmm, what form will it take?
“Usually it’s like a little blue rectangle that floats in the air. It has words on it that show all the information.” Even as he began to describe it, Jack felt like this idea wasn't going to work. Little blue floating boxes? What a stupid idea. He began to wrack his brain for other ideas when the cloak spoke again.
Like this? Jack looked and saw a blue rectangle floating in front of the god. Eight inches across and six inches tall. It was partially translucent, but was completely blank. You said that information will be displayed on it, give me an example
“Oh um, things like your name, race, stuff like that.” Was…was the god actually buying into this? Did he like it? Jack watched as ‘Name:’ and ‘Race:’ appeared on the screen, then were filled in. The god had put his name as ‘Deis” and his race as ‘High Deity’ whatever that meant.
Deis regarded the screen in front of him. So will everyone have something like this? Along with other information?
“Yeah…is that okay?” Jack was having a bit of trouble reading the cloak’s mood. There were some mannerisms that were oddly human, but a lack of face, limbs, or any other human physical traits meant interactions could feel alien.
It has potential, but I am concerned it does not feel like a reward. Explain it further to me, what would my people actually gain from this?
“Well…” Jack collected his thoughts, attempting to assemble something like a project pitch in his mind. “Usually a system is a way to track progression. As people grow stronger, they can see how much stronger they grow. Though I guess sometimes the system is what makes you grow stronger?”
Jack paused. Did a system reflect the growth people went through? In most of the stories he read, it was more like a person's strength was built up by interacting with the system. That power usually came from a god or something didn’t it?
“I guess…you would empower people as they progress through the system? People would grow stronger and gain more abilities than should be possible normally. Sort of like a risk-reward type idea, doing everything they can to progress.”
Directly granting power through the system as a medium? There would be limits I assume?
“Yeah, it would grow exponentially harder to gain power the stronger you get. We could also implement some additional stopgaps.” Jack explained.
We? Why would you be assisting me? Deis seemed confused at my inclusion, which made me confused.
“Well…don’t you need someone who knows about this stuff? Like to help you if problems come up?” Sweat began to flow again, as Jack realized just how much the god wanted to get rid of him. He needed to make himself useful if he had any chance of surviving this.
“I’m very well versed in this kind of stuff, we can quickly react to any problems that might pop up, or things that could become a problem later on.” Then, thinking quickly, Jack was struck with an idea. “Besides” he said, “since we will absolutely run into unexpected things, you wouldn’t want people to blame you for it right?”
Deis froze, every part of his cloak growing completely still for the first time since he had appeared.
Blame…me? I am perfect. My people worship me in all things! I can do no wrong! THIS IS MY WORLD!!!!
As the god grew louder, the air seemed to shake around Jack. He felt pressure, as if something heavy settled onto him. He sunk to the floor (ground? White void surface?) and found it hard to breathe.
I will not allow fault with myself. Deis spoke again, with more control over his volume. Despite this, the pressure remained on Jack, and the voice of the god seemed strained, as if he were making a terrible but necessary choice.
You will serve as the face and representative of the system, it’s caretaker if you must. It will be made clear that any mistakes are yours, and that all boons and benefits are from me. Do you understand?
Jack could hardly breathe. The pressure on his body was intense, and his breath came in gasps. But despite that, he knew that this was his best chance to survive.
“Y-yes.” he squeezed out, his vision darkening. He felt as though he was going to pass out, when suddenly the pressure ceased. Clarity rushed back into Jack’s mind, and the pressure evaporated, causing Jack to suddenly become unbalanced and fall over.
The cloak looked down on Jack, or at least Jack assumed that was what was happening.
You will begin work immediately. I will placate my people while you work, you have two days
With those words, Deis created a blue screen and floated it down in front of him. The cloak then turned away and disappeared, Leaving Jack sitting alone in the white empty void.
The rudeness of the god’s departure was so abrupt that Jack blinked in surprise. Just like that, Jack had secured the next two days of survival. But if he wanted more days than that, he needed to get to work. He crossed his legs and examined the status page in front of him. Well, he called it a status screen, but it was totally blank. The blue screen hovered in front of him with nothing to show on its surface.
Reaching out, Jack tapped against the screen. His finger made contact and he noted that the texture was similar to glass. It was smooth and slightly cool to the touch. However, nothing happened when he touched it. He had expected…something? Like a keyboard to pop up so he could start putting information in.
As he thought about a keyboard, he could feel a tugging in his mind. Like an idea solidifying into his consciousness, he could picture a qwerty style keyboard clearly in his mind. It was so clear in his mind, he felt like he could almost touch it. The feeling was powerful, and he felt a compulsion to use this image in his brain. Reaching out to the blue screen in front of him, he felt it vibrate beneath his hands, as if eager to be used.
Jack tried pressing his hands against the screen, but nothing happened. He tried typing on the blank space to no avail. He imagined plugging the keyboard into the screen which had no effect. It was almost like the screen refused to be anything other than a status sheet, resisting all efforts to change it, despite the energy he felt within the blue box, seeking to be used.
In a moment of frustration, Jack grabbed the box on either side and shook it. “Reveal your secrets to me!” As he shook the screen, it made an audible CRACK!
He quickly released the screen in shock. Had he broken it? He examined the screen, which had cracked slightly where his hands had been. As he looked however, the blue box seemed to repair itself, the crack sealing up quickly until there was no sign it had ever broken.
‘Interesting’ Jack thought to himself. He grabbed the corner of the status screen, then before he could convince himself that this was a bad idea, snapped off a piece of the blue screen. Jack now had a little blue triangle in his hands, and he watched with interest as the status screen healed itself where it had broken.
After the status screen had healed, Jack looked down into his hands. The little blue triangle was still there, vibrating slightly in his palm. He focused on it, the image of a keyboard still very present in his mind. The triangle floated out of Jack's hand and began to shrink. Its size then shrunk to a single key from a keyboard, still in the shape of a triangle.
Jack frowned as he observed it. It…was something at least. A single key, the wrong shape, with no symbols on it or anything, without a keyboard. But it was progress, something he could work with.
The piece of system screen he was holding was roughly the shape and size of a guitar pick, though with sharp corners. Clearly there was something strange with the laws of physics concerning the screen. The pick had shrunk in size and weight, conservation of mass being completely ignored.
He eyed the pick, then looked at the screen. He took the small triangle, and placed its sharp corner against the blue surface in front of him. He traced out a box in the corner, a small square of blue. Lines appeared where he traced, as if he were scraping away the surface.
Grinning, Jack carefully broke off the square of the status screen. A small blue square now in his hands. He watched as the screen repaired itself, then started the process again.